When a young team overachieves the way the Green Bay Packers did in the second half of the 2023 season, it leaves fans hyperventilating through the offseason.  Expectations are already pretty much out of control in cheesehead country.  This proud franchise figures to be back in “Super Bowl or Bust” mode when the curtain opens on the 2024 campaign. 

Sitting in his office at 1265 Lombardi Avenue, general manager Brian Gutekunst is fine with that.  It’s good for the fans to be pumped up.  It’s a positive that the team is held to the highest standard.  What would not be good, would be these young, impressionable players reading and listening to how great they are for the next five months, and then coming to camp in the summer contented and overconfident.   

Gutekunst wants them to take the practice field in late July hungry and fighting for their jobs.  “Every year is a different year,” Gutey cautioned.  “We had a lot of players early in their careers play a lot last year.  That’s unusual around here, and I think the big thing for them going into year two is understanding that just because they had success in year one doesn’t mean that their spots are safe, and they’d better be working and ready to compete.  The future is bright, but it's really about what they do from here on out.” 

And what’s the best way to motivate players to put forth maximum effort?  Bring in competition.  Make them fight to hold on to their playing time.  That competition will come mainly from the draft.  The Packers have a lot of picks.  Eleven at the moment.  Five of them in the first three rounds.  Some will be used to fill gaps at safety and O-line.  But expect new blood at receiver, running back, defensive line, back-up quarterback and kicker.  Eager incoming rookies who will push the second year players for starting spots.   

Plus, Green Bay may be more active in the free agent market than you expect.  Gutekunst says he has no qualms about opening up the bank vault for a couple of big names, even if it means pushing serious cap obligations into future years.  “Whatever opportunities are out there to improve our team in free agency, we’ll be able to do that.  I don’t think we’ll shy away from adding impact players if we have to push things down the road.  We’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time, this is about winning and trying to win a championship.  So if that’s something that makes sense we’ll do it.” 

You only have to look at this past season to see numerous examples of how competition drove players to be better.  At left tackle Rasheed Walker had to improve every week with Yosh Nijman breathing down his neck.  In the defensive line veterans Kenny Clark, TJ Slaton and Devante Wyatt got pushed hard by rookies Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden.  Fourth year corner Eric Stokes had better come ready to play with Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine itching to keep their spots.  The biggest battle for snaps came at receiver where deep reserve guys like Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, and Malik Heath were working hard to get on the field ahead of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed.  When tight end Luke Musgrave went down, Tucker Kraft wasted no time claiming the job. 

Gutekunst knows there are some positions that need more of this.  Running back for example.  The Packers need a couple of talented young ball carriers to compete hard for the back-up spot to Aaron Jones.  Sean Clifford needs a worthy rival to secure the back-up QB slot.  Kicker Anders Carlson has already seen the team bring in a challenger for his duties.  They signed former Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny last month.  With linebacker Kingsley Enagbare expected to miss much of next season recovering from his torn ACL, new faces need to arrive to supply a little heat on Quay Walker, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and yes, even Rashan Gary. 

Gutekunst promises the new talent is coming.  “When you have competition in those rooms it just allows guys to accelerate their growth,” he explained.  “When they have to compete each and every day for snaps and playing time I just think it accelerates everything, and that’s our job.” 

So the rebuild is far from over.  Next year’s starting line-up may look different than most of us expect.  There will be new, hungry, young prospects out there fighting for opportunities.  Who will be the next Rasheed Walker?  The next Carrington Valentine?  The next Bo Melton?  Gutekunst can’t wait to find out.  And neither can we.